Popular politics in Early Stuart England, HIS211
Questions: Did people below the rank of gentry matter in the politics of early Stuart England?
Possible themes to consider by the team producing this mini-lecture:
How many elections were contested? Were MPs representative of their constituents and did this change over time? How, if at all, did the common people express political opinions? To what extent did humble people attempt to pressurise their political masters?
You should use the reading list already handed out, namely the social and economic list for HIS211 and the relevant thematic breakdown.
LIST OF TOPICS ON POPULAR POLITICS:
Topic ONE: Elections and the choice of MPs
Who, if anybody, did MPs actually represent in early Stuart England?
DOCUMENT EXTRACTS:
Recommended secondary literature for seminar topic. Just try and read a couple of chapters, or two articles as well as the documents.
Kishlansky, M. (1986). Parliamentary Selection.
Hirst, D. (1975 ). The Representatives of the People? .
[324 941-HIR c.1 ].
Topic TWO: Street demonstrations and political riots
How effective were political riots in the 1640s?
DOCUMENT EXTRACTS:
Recommended secondary literature for seminar topic. Just try and read a couple of chapters, or two articles as well as the documents.
. [942 6-LIN].
Lindley, K. (1986 ). London and popular freedom in the 1640s.
In R. C. Richardson, & G. M. Ridden (Ed.), Freedom
and the English Revolution: Essays in History and Literature
Lindley, K., (1997), Popular politics and religion in Civil War London. (Scolar Press).
Lindley, K. (1983 ).Riot prevention and control in early Stuart London, Trans. Roy. Hist. Soc. 5th Ser., 33 (1983), 109-26.
Lindley, K. (1982 ). Fenland riots and the English Revolution
. [942 6-LIN].
Manning, B. (1976). The English people and the English Revolution.
Topic THREE: Libels and opinions
How could political opinions and news be transmitted in Early Stuart England?
DOCUMENT EXTRACTS:
Recommended secondary literature for seminar topic. Just try and read a couple of chapters, or two articles as well as the documents.
Croft, P., (1995), Libels, popular literacy and public opinion
in early modern England. Hist. Res., 68, pp.
266-85
Bellany, A., (1995) A Poem on the Archbishop's Hearse:
Puritanism, Libel, and Sedition after the Hampton Court Conference.
J. Brit. Stud.,34, , pp. 137-64.
Cust, R. (1986), News and Politics in Early Seventeenth-Century England, Past and Present 112, 60-90.
P. Seaver, Wallington's World
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